4.30.2012

You guys! It's been so long since I have blogged! Moving is such a drawn out process! I am happy to say that we are slowly getting back on track enough for me to get back on a regular posting schedule. :)

This post is simple, but I figured that was the best way to find my blogging groove again. I recently made a Cherry Culture haul that you will be seeing more of in the future.

Today I am showing you NYX Advanced Salon Formula in Acid Pink. I really like this line of polish. There are some unique shades as well as more simple colors that all have a great formula. Acid Pink is a super bright hot pink with some bluish shimmer. Dustin sponged white at the tips and I layered Sinful Colors Pinky Glitter over the top to make the look cohesive.

I really liked this look. It was a fun twist on a french mani that was more "me".

4.23.2012

It's been a while since I blogged last. Dustin and I finally made it to Tennessee and tomorrow I am driving to Orlando with my sister to drop her off for her internship at Disneyworld! After that, it should be back to regular posting, and You Mix Cosmetics will be back and better than ever as well!

Today's post features a polish from Whimsical Ideas by Pam, an indie polish maker that sells through Facebook. The one I am showing you today is called Hatched. It's a pale yellow base with an array of sizes and colors of glitters. Most of them are pretty pastels. Below is 3 coats, but with some thinner I could have done 2. The formula was pretty good, I had to wait a little between coats, but it was nothing that was too annoying.

At first I wasn't too impressed with how the yellow looked on me, but it grew on me after a while. Even though this is a glitter, it's actually a toned down polish that isn't very loud or flashy, at least for my skin tone.

Such a fun, springy polish!

All you have to do is email her your order. She has some fabulous polishes, and there are a couple more of hers that I have been eyeing recently! Have any of you gotten any polish from Pam?

4.17.2012

Hey everyone! Hope you are all have a good day! Tomorrow Dustin and I begin our 2 day drive to Tennessee, so posting will probably be a little sporadic for the next little bit. :(

Anyway, today's mani features OPI Absolutely Alice and OPI Spark de Triomphe ( SdT this also happens to be one of my top 5 polishes!). These are 1 coat layered over Zoya Breezi and OPI Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh respectively.

Next Dustin stamped some leopard print in black and dotted the OPI and Zoya cremes on the opposite color. I thought this turned out really cute!!

4.15.2012

I have been on an unintentional freehand roll these last few days. I hardly ever go for freehand because I am such a perfectionist when it comes to my nails. That's why I love stamping so much! :)

But I saw these nails on Pinterest a while back and thought they were too cute! I chose OPI Love is a Racket for the base which I think looks just like strawberry jam. Then I got Dustin to freehand the leaves. I wanted to use scotch tape to make them, but Dustin did a pretty good job! He used Sally Hansen Insta Dri in Lickety Slick Lime and a black creme for the seeds.

So although I can't say freehand is my fave, I thought these still turned out cute. Makes me excited for summer!

4.13.2012

I have been wanting to try this look for quite some time from Nailside, who is super talented at original nail art. Definitely give her a follow if you haven't already! The look I am showing today is by far her most popular look, the cloud mani. I decided to put my own twist on it by using holos from the China Glaze OMG collection: DV8, 2NITE, and OMG. I think the end result is pretty awesome!

A few weeks ago I got box of items from Influenster to use and review. Obviously, these nail stickers from Kiss were what I was most excited about. These are pretty much the exact same as the Sally Hansen nail strips in terms of how they are applied. One box comes with enough to do a manicure and pedicure with a large array of sizes. I liked the ease of application as well as the no clean up/no mess factor. I also like the fact that it's instant nail art without have to do any effort.

I put these on the night before I took these pics. You can probably notice that there is some tip wear/shrinkage. I was disappointed that it happened so soon especially since I just put them on the night before and the only thing I did was sleep. I took these off after 2 days and the tip wear had progressed more. But I will say the removal was easy and convenient because I was able to peel them right off!

Have any of you had experience with these nail strips, or nail strips in general?

4.11.2012

I have another great polish from Nailventurous Lacquers today. This one is called Rainbow Fish and it's the PERFECT name! Doesn't it remind you of the fish from the book? I think so! I layered it over Dr.'s Remedy Lively Lilac...love it! I think the periwinkle glitters are my fave because you don't see those hardly ever in polish.

What do you guys think about this one? Have you been able to get your hands on any Nailventurous polishes yet?

4.10.2012

Hey there! I enjoyed perfect weather today while watching little Taylee run around the yard. It's so nice to be able to have a break and just enjoy life instead of be busy all the time! :)

Dustin got me these Insta Dri's for my birthday...he's a sucker for pretty colors like me, so I loved them. We collaborated on this mani to come up with the finished look. Colors left to right: Min Sprint, Lickety Slick Lime, Snappy Sorbet, Speedy Sunburst.

I love the look of tribal print with bright colors, so this was the perfect time to translate that to my nails! The design came from You Mix plate C.

4.09.2012

It's been forever since I last blogged. My husband and I are all moved out and we drove 14 hours and are spending time with family for a week. Then it's a 2 day drive and we are at our new home! So that explains my absence, and why I will probably have a few less posts than normal.

I have another polish from Nailventurous Lacquers to show you today. This one is called Pulverized. I wore this for my birthday...I thought it was fitting! There is so much going on with this polish that at first I wasn't sure about it, but it really grew on me after a bit. I layered 1 coat over Revlon Girly. Everything places well with the exception of the big glitters that needed a little more work. But it all came together nicely, and even became totally smooth with topcoat!

This polish is total eye candy! Even now, I can't stop looking at the pictures and that never happens! Once again, another great polish from Amy!!

4.04.2012

Hi guys! Today's my birthday AND Dustin's last day of class before finishing school...so it's a good day!

This isn't what I am wearing for my birthday, I will probably post that tomorrow. I saw an easy way to do this look on Pinterest instead of trying to make a perfect gradient by hand. I started with a white base. Just paint the sponge directly with all the colors and dab it once on some paper and then the nail and it's done! Maybe you already knew about that. haha

This is Sinful Colors Unicorn, Beautiful Girl, and Sweet Dreams.

To add a little something, Dustin did stamping that was fun and springy!

4.03.2012

The base for the manicure I am showing today is Iceberg Lotus from NOPI. This is an emerald green shimmer with a purple duochrome that doesn't show on the nail unfortunately. But despite that, this is a very pretty polish. Below is 3 coats.

Next, I did a gradient with China Glaze Optical Illusion. This photo really doesn't capture it though. I was a little disappointed because of that. But still, this was a fun combo to wear!

4.01.2012

I meant to post this yesterday but never got a chance to. Dustin and I have been busy tying up all the loose ends before moving.

This mani left me wanting more. I attempted a lot of different nail art before I gave up. It was just one of those times where I knew nothing was going to work out and needed to just stop. So I did and this is how it ended up.

This is China Glaze Make Some Noise and Color Club Twiggie as the accent nail.

I then added BO Nail Lacquer Milky Glitter Topcoat from Born Pretty. I love this! I like how it looks a little different over different colors. You can use my coupon code to get 10% off your purchase at Born Pretty: AJ10W21.

So there is my unfinished mani...do any of you just have to take a break from nails to get your inspiration back on track?